Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 157, No. 35
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
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Follow-up town hall to take place on Sept. 14
Fire, EMS volunteers in short supply, chiefs say By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer Seated side-by-side at the far right of the Red Clay Room on Aug. 24, row after row of volunteers from three area fire and EMS companies attended the first of two Kennett Fire & EMS Town Hall meetings. Throughout the meeting, a few in the audience of 100 publicly thanked them for their service and all received accolades for their selfless dedication from their supervisors. They were there in full force, but in keeping
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with a national trend, there were not enough of them. Representatives from the Kennett, Longwood and Po-Mar-Lin fire departments reported that the number of volunteers currently serving their units is well below their desired volume. Their remarks were part of a presentation that provided an overview of emergency services to the 56-square-mile radius in the municipalities that make up the Kennett Fire & EMS Commission. Those chairing the event were A.J. McCarthy, chief of the Longwood Fire
Mines and quarries of Chester County...1B
“Previously, households were taken care of by one income, meaning there was a lot of extra time for people to do things such as volunteer at fire houses,” he said. “Now, a lot of houses are two-income, leaving a lot less time to volunteer. In addition, the standards and training requirements have continued to increase. For example, if you are coming in as a rookie firefighter, there is a 250-hour course, followed by a 100-hour course, and a rescue program which is about 50 [hours.] “You will need about
400 hours of service just to become a basic, entry-level firefighter, which is a lot to ask someone nowadays to give up in order to volunteer their time.” Nuse estimated that the Po-Mar-Lin Fire Company has 25 active volunteers, while McCarthy and Franks estimated that there are about 40 active volunteers at Kennett and Longwood. “You can’t put a number on how many volunteers we would desire to have, because there’s so much wear and tear on everyone who is already there,” Nuse
said. “If you [wished for] 100 or 150 volunteers, that still would not be enough.” “At this point, I would just take ten people who would choose to stay,” McCarthy said. “Too often, we invest a lot of money and time to train them, and after a year or two in they realize that [being a volunteer] is very burdensome.” The fight to recruit – and retain -- volunteer firefighters isn’t just being felt at Kennett, Longwood and Po-Mar-Lin. According to statistics provided by the Continued on Page 2A
‘The shining light of what is yet to come’
Kennett Library & Resource Center officially opens in grand ceremony By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
38th annual Mushroom Festival & Visitors’ Guide
Company; Rick Franks, assistant chief of the Kennett Fire Company; Stephen Nuse, assistant chief and president of the Po-MarLin Fire Company; and Matt Eick, assistant chief of EMS for the Longwood Fire Company. Reflecting on those dwindling numbers, Franks said key factors contributing to the decline of volunteers point to the rising economic pressures of maintaining a household, higher standards for becoming a volunteer firefighter and a flatline of financial support.
No one did it alone. Everyone did it together. From speeches to makers spaces to audio and video studios to informal gatherings on the Melton Terrace, the concept of inclusivity served as a consistent theme at the official opening of the new Kennett Library and Resource Center on Aug. 27, which drew hundreds of community members and elected officials to help usher in the reality of an idea that began a quarter century ago. Throughout the fourhour ceremony, those who played crucial roles in the creation of the two-floor, 33,425-square-foot library gave credit to a wide swath
of municipalities, trustees, private and public contributors and most especially the community members who supported the library’s fundraising campaign, which to date stands just $1.7 million shy of its goal. In fact, 68 percent of all financial contributions have come from private donations. “This day reflects teamwork, collegiality, empowerment and vision,” said Thomas Swett, chairman emeritus of the Library’s Board of Trustees. “We had the opportunity to recreate a new board, to bring the people together and create a collegial atmosphere. Then we began to sense the potential for a groundswell of interest [in a new library], and it took catalytic agents to bring it
to fruition. Standing here today, you can see what some of those words like teamwork, collegiality, empowerment and vision mean.” Even before the ceremony kicked-off at 1 p.m. with a ceremonial book pass along State Street from the old library to the new one, hundreds had already gathered to explore the new facility, which has enjoyed a soft opening for the past several weeks. After a land acknowledgement ceremony and performance by the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, local dignitaries and library board members cut the ribbon on the new building, which was followed by remarks by Board President Bradley Peiper, Executive Director
Photos by Richard L. Gaw
Flanked by Kennett Borough Council President Doug Doerfler and member at large trustee Michael Guttman, Executive Director Christopher Manna and Board President Bradley Peiper cut the ribbon at the official opening of the new Kennett Library and Resource Center on Aug. 27.
Christopher Manna, Kennett Square Mayor Matt Fetick, County Commissioners Josh Maxwell and Marian Moskowitz and former Board President and current
Capital Campaign Chairman Jeff Yetter in a presentation held before an overflow audience at the library’s 110-seat auditorium. Continued on Page 2A
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Brandywine Conservancy and partners announce launch of Brandywine Flood study
© 2007 The Chester County Press
Supported by the Chester County Water Resources Authority and the University of Delaware Water Resources Center, the flood study will identify opportunities for future flood mitigation measures to better protect residents living along the Brandywine Creek in Pennsylvania and Delaware In response to more frequent and extreme flooding events impacting communities along the Brandywine Creek in both Pennsylvania and Delaware, the Brandywine Conservancy announced the launch of the Brandywine Flood Study—nearly two years after Hurricane Ida produced historic flooding that devastated the region. Conducted in partnership with the Chester County Water Resources Authority (CCWRA) and the University
of Delaware Water Resources Center (UDWRC), the flood study is a coordinated effort to better understand where and why flooding occurs and identify the best approaches to protect our communities from future severe flooding events. Encompassing the mainstem of the Brandywine Creek and key tributaries in Chester and Delaware Counties in Pennsylvania and traveling downstream to impacted areas over the Delaware state line, the
flood study aims to identify options for reducing flood impacts to improve public safety and lessen property damage. The study will be funded, in part, through grants from Chester County Government and Delaware County Council. “As we approach the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Ida, which caused significant threats to public safety and emergency services, along with over $100 million in flood damages to public infrastructure
Photo courtesy the BrandywineConservancy
Damage from the Ida flood at the Brandywine Museum of Art courtyard.
in our region—including more than $10 million in damages to the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art’s 15-acre campus in Chadds Ford—there is an urgent need for this flood
study,” said Grant DeCosta, director of community services for the Brandywine Conservancy. “In order to identify the best strategies for mitigating the impact of Continued on Page 3A
Unionville-Chadds Ford School District plans for the centennial school year The Unionville-Chadds Ford School District has unveiled some of its plans for celebrating the centennial school year. The community is invited to join the school district in celebrations throughout the school year, including a series of events that will honor the rich heritage, inspiring achievements, and a commitment to a bright future for the entire school district.
Centennial Parade on Oct. 6
before the Unionville homecoming football game.
Open House at Unionville Elementary on Nov. 4
The celebration will kick off on Oct. 6 with a Centennial Parade. This historic procession will wind its way from Unionville Elementary School to Patton Middle School. The parade promises to be a dazzling display of school spirit, featuring students and alumni marching proudly together.
Historical bus tours of the Community
Visit the building where it all started in 1923, Unionville Elementary, on Nov. 4 for a special Centennial Open House. Guests will be able to take a walk down memory lane and witness the progress and evolution of the school district. See the original
This parade will be a testament to the rich history and bright future of the district and its students, families, alumni, and all community members are invited to line the parade route and be part of this grand spectacle
The centennial celebration will continue with bus tours that will explore the history and landmarks of the Unionville-Chadds Ford district. Dates and times for these tours are available on the U-CF Centennial website.
Continued on Page 2A